International Journal of Entomology Research International Journal of Entomology Research ISSN: 2455-4758 Impact Factor: RJIF 5.24 www.entomologyjournals.com Volume 3; Issue 2; March 2018; Page No. 200-203 Leafhoppers and their morphology, biology, ecology and contribution in ecosystem: A review paper Bismillah Shah*, Yating Zhang School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China Abstract The present study was conducted at Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China during 2018 and was compiled as a review paper from internationally recognized published articles plus Annual/Environmental reports of documented organizations. Leafhoppers (Auchenorrhynca: Cicadellidae) are small, very active jumping insects that commonly feed on a variety of host plants. Leafhoppers are agricultural pests while some species are also vectors of many plant viruses. Around 25000 species of leafhoppers have been identified and described by the experts. The study on leafhoppers plays a vital role in understanding their roles in our agroecosystem. This review paper summarizes the basic information regarding the morphology, biology and ecology of leafhoppers. Keywords: agricultural pest, auchenorrhynca, cicadellidae, leafhopper, vector Introduction usually use during overwintering. To control leafhoppers Insect species of the animal kingdom that belongs to family biologically, entomopathogenic fungi and parasitoids are used Cicadellidae are commonly known as leafhoppers. They are (Dietrich, 2004) [13]. found in various zones of the planet in tropical and subtropical Leafhoppers are the members of order Hemiptera followed by ecosystems (Dietrich, 2005) [14]. These small insects known infraorder Cicadomorpha, superfamily Membracoidea and as hoppers have piercing-sucking type of mouthparts family Cicadellidae respectively. Leafhoppers are further (Dietrich, 2004) [13] hence suck plant sap from trees, grasses placed in about 40 subfamilies (Web source A) [49]. Some and shrubs, also recognized as plant sap feeders (Wayadande species of leafhoppers are called sharpshooters (Wilson et al., & Nault, 1996) [48]. Adults and nymphs leafhoppers are very 2009) [57]. active and jumping insects (Dietrich, 2004) [13] as their hind legs are modified for jumping, and hind tibia are covered with Morphological Description enlarged setae that helps to spread a secretion over their Leafhoppers (Auchenorrhynca: Cicadellidae) are small bodies which act as a pheromones carrier (Stiller & Michael, wedge-shaped insects that ranges from 2 to 30 mm in length 2009) [44] and water repellent. (Dietrich, 2004) [13]. Species of leafhoppers may be dorso- Leafhoppers possess an incomplete metamorphosis. Some ventrally flattened, globular or elongated in appearance species of leafhoppers are cosmopolitan (Fletcher et al., 1991) (Dietrich, 2004) [13]. Leafhoppers are very active insects. [19] and/or distributed worldwide at various climates and Wings and legs are used for locomotion. Adult leafhoppers habitats may be due to which Cicadellidae is considered as can fly as they have two pairs of wings in which the front pair one of the largest families of plant-feeding insects that possess is mostly colored and thickened while immature leafhoppers more than 22000 described species (Derlink et al., 2016) [12]. do not have wings so they mostly jump or run sideways They are associated with a wide range of hosts. Some (Hammond, 2018) [25]. Before it was suggested that leafhoppers are pests while many are vectors of plant diseases leafhoppers were brown earlier and green was the first (Nielson, 1979) [36], viruses and phytoplasmas (Stiller & acquired alternative color (Evans, 1966) [17]. Afterwards the Michael, 2009) [44]. Spreading of leafhoppers transmitted evolutionary development has risen the insects with pathogens commonly depends on their gender status, predominantly black and lack or have red, yellowish or abundance of insect vectors and their plant-to-plant movement sometimes bluish patterns/markings (Evans, 1988) [18]. Many (Power, 1987; Power, 1992; Hunt et al., 1993) [41, 42, 26]. The leafhoppers are green or brown in color but some species are populations of injurious leafhoppers can be controlled or marked with a variety of colorful pattern (Dietrich, 2004) [13]. reduced by using contact pesticide. The uses of insecticides The hind tibia of leafhoppers possesses four rows of enlarged against pest leafhoppers usually do not give the effective spine like setae. Tymbals are present at the base of control of diseases (Paddick et al., 1971; Paddick & French, leafhoppers’ abdomen that vibrates and produces small sounds 1972) [39, 38] because it needs to understand the population (Dietrich, 2004) [13]. Leafhoppers are blunt headed dynamics of insects that helps in proper timing of insecticides (Hammond, 2018) [25] and their head sometimes possess spines application (Broadbent, 1957; Perring et al., 1999) [4, 40]. Some or some other ornamentation. One of the main distinguishing leafhoppers species can be controlled by using the resistant characteristics of leafhoppers subfamilies is the position of plant varieties and by removing the crop debris which they two lateral ocelli, when present (Evans, 1988) [18]. Other major 200 International Journal of Entomology Research morphological features that differentiate species of forests to high elevations and latitudes. Leafhoppers have leafhoppers include the setae arrangement on legs, venation in herbivores (Taft and Dietrich, 2017) [46] nature hence their their wings and the male and female genitalia (Dietrich, 2004) trophic strategy (food habits) is that all leafhoppers suck the [13]. To protect themselves and their eggs from pathogens and plant fluid with their piercing-sucking mouthparts (Dietrich, predation, some leafhoppers’ species produce brochosomes. 2004) [13]. Some leafhoppers species exist worldwide usually feed on a diverse range of plants while many species have a Behavior and Biology particular host plant (DeLong, 1948; Brown et al., 1992; Leafhoppers have many communication behaviors that Whitcomb et al., 1987; Whitcomb and Hicks, 1988; Nickel & include chemical communication systems like other insects. Remane, 2002) [11, 5, 56, 55, 34]. As far as predation of leafhoppers The male leafhoppers have special tymbals that vibrate is concerned, they are fast movers and can easily dodge their (Ossiannilsson, 1949; Claridge, 1985a) [37, 7]. These vibrating predators. Some leafhoppers emit a distress call that causes signals are transmitted through the substrate (Ichikawa and their predators to drop them. Some of them have bright Ishii, 1974; Ichikawa, 1976, Ichikawa, 1979; Inoue, 1982; coloration which is suggested to be toxic but this information Claridge, 1985a; Claridge, 1985b) [29, 27, 28, 30, 7, 8] mostly in has not been reported yet (Hammond, 2018) [25]. Many insects bending waves (Cocroft et al., 2000; Greenfield, 2002) [9, 22]. like Hymenoptera, Tyrannidae and some small birds are Females of leafhoppers lack tymbal but often are able to make known predators of leafhopper (Rasmussen, 1941) [43]. Adults sounds through various stridulatory mechanisms (Gillham, and nymphs are parasitized by pipunculid flies, dryinid wasp 1992) [20]. The production of sound through tymbal occurs in and epipyropid moths while mymarid and trichogrammatid all superfamilies of Auchenorrhynca, even in Cicadoidea it is wasp is the egg parasitoids of leafhoppers. The oldest not present only in one sex as Tettigarcta females can also Cicadellidae fossils are traced back to lower Cretaceous sing. So this feature might be acquired in early Mesozoic, if period (Dietrich, 2004) [13]. not Palaeozoic era (Evans, 1941) [15]. During early Mesozoic Leafhoppers have many associations like some species of times, some Auchenorrhynca were able to stridulate which is genus Anteon, Aphelopus and Gonatopus are larval parasitoids supposed due to some upper Triassic Homoptera like of Cicadellidae. Their major role in the ecosystem is that they “Eoscartoides bryani Evans” possesses stridulatory areas on are the carrier of many plant diseases. Leafhoppers transmit their proximal costal area of tegmina (Evans, 1961) [16]. Many bacteria, viruses and phytoplasmas (Lee et al., 2000; Grylls, Auchenorrhynca possess a diverse range of vibrational or 1979; Gray & Banerjee, 1999; Backus et al., 2005; Weintraub acoustic signals that are associated with various behaviors & Beanland, 2006) [31, 23, 21, 1, 54]. They sometimes directly (Claridge, 1985a) [7], but usually it is produced in pair injured the plants by feeding while sometimes indirectly by formation and are called “calling signals” (Ichikawa, 1976; transmitting plant pathogens (Nielson, 1968; Weintraub & Claridge, 1983; Claridge, 1985a) [27, 6, 7]. Generally a vibratory Beanland, 2006) [35, 54]. For protection against various or auditory response is received by the calling male from the predators, some leafhoppers like Australian Kahaono responding females, and the male usually continue duetting montana Evans usually build silk nests on underside of leaves during their search for a stationary female. This behavior is in of the same trees they live in (Gurr & Fletcher, 2011) [24]. contrast with various acoustical insects in which the female finds the calling signals produced by stationary males (Bailey, Evolution and Systematics 1991; Bailey, 2003) [2, 3]. In taxonomic classification, leafhoppers were considered The maturity of leafhopper is fast because they are before in order Homoptera